Comerica announces grant program for Michigan schools during Tigers caravan

During this winter’s Tigers Caravan, many players — and Ausmus — mugged with fans and joked with each other on a stop at Comerica Bank’s Michigan headquarters in Auburn Hills, where Comerica officials announced a contest for two $10,000 grants to be given to two Michigan public schools’ baseball or softball teams.

More than 200 Comerica employees were able to sit in on a question-and-answer session as the bank’s “Grand Slam Grants” program got its fourth year underway.

Mike T. Ritchie, president of Comerica Bank Michigan, described the atmosphere as “super exciting,” as his employees and others cheered for the players.

“School funding today is so tight (that) sometimes the basics can be luxuries to some of these schools,” said Ritchie before the sit-down with the Tigers. “Our grants sometimes go to building new fields, sometimes go to new uniforms and bats and gloves and pitching equipment. ... Growing up playing sports, I know firsthand the benefits it offers and I’m happy we can provide the same opportunity to the next generation of athletes.”

After last year’s winners from Cass Technical High School’s softball team posed for photos with Miguel Cabrera and new Tiger Rajai Davis, softball player Caitlin Taylor said that it was great to meet the players. Her school’s grant money went to new equipment, uniforms and spirit wear, she said.

The grant recipients — one high school chosen from Southeast Michigan and one from either Central or Western Michigan — will be recognized on opening weekend at Comerica Park, a week before the April 5 game against the Baltimore Orioles. The winning schools will also get free tickets to the opening weekend game.

Hunter had a unique response when one employee asked him whether he ever considered another sport.

“My grandpa would always sit me down on the couch and make me watch the (Chicago) Cubs ... seemed like every time I came home, Andre Dawson was hitting a home run to win the game,” he said. “ But I was a football guy when I was younger ... but then I started playing baseball and started hitting like him, and had a Jheri curl like him.”

He said his grandfather’s persistence of making him watch baseball actually led to him focusing more on it as he grew up.

A Cass Tech softball player also asked Hunter how to foster team spirit.

“Get to know each other,” he said. “We don’t get a chance to sit and talk to each other, so we go out to dinner before the year starts and laugh with each other ... we try to lift each other up ... building chemistry with your teammates, making it a family atmosphere” is a good start, he said.

For more from the Grand Slam Grants event in Auburn Hills, visit tout.com/jrturk.